SoundGrid Studio System

The Next Generation of Sound Technology.

The SoundGrid Studio System is a real-time processing and networking platform designed
to bring your studio up to light speed. It allows your DAW to offload its plugin
processing and enables your devices to communicate with one another and with the
devices of the people you work with. The SoundGrid Studio System integrates seamlessly
with all DAWs and SoundGrid-compatible I/Os, providing endless possibilities for
setups of every size—from a single DAW with one SoundGrid I/O, to an entire network
of host computers, I/Os, and SoundGrid DSP servers.

SoundGrid Studio is an application for managing the SoundGrid network’s hardware
and software devices on your host computer. An open platform that seamlessly integrates
with all DAWs and SoundGrid-compatible I/Os, SoundGrid Studio provides endless possibilities
for setups of every size, from a single DAW with one SoundGrid I/O, to a whole network
of host computers, I/Os and SoundGrid DSP servers.

The SoundGrid Studio ASIO/Core Audio driver and dynamic I/O mapping ability let
you configure your network, manage its various components and set up any combination
of SoundGrid-compatible devices. The system's configuration module lets you assign
and route drivers and hardware devices. SoundGrid also enables I/O sharing between
several computers whose resources are managed from the designated host computer.

eMotion ST is the mixer part of the SoundGrid application. It integrates with StudioRack
and lets you run SoundGrid plugins for low-latency monitoring, providing you with
complex monitor mixing options.

StudioRack is a software rack designed to run plugin chains, giving you the choice
of directing the processing to a SoundGrid DSP server or to your host computer’s
CPU. When processing your plugin chains on SoundGrid, StudioRack lets you monitor
your tracks in low latency via the
eMotion ST Mixer. Compatible with most popular hosts, StudioRack has a dedicated
component for Pro Tools TDM and HDX systems, giving you access to both Avid and
Waves offload capabilities.

StudioRack’s unique features:

Compatible with most native DAWs

Bridges Pro Tools HD and HDX DSP with the SoundGrid DSP server in order to process
plugins in low latency while recording

Compatible with Waves and third-party plugins

Plugin chains used for low-latency monitoring are instantly available for mixing
as well

Waves SoundGrid Studio is included at no extra cost with any purchase of the following
DiGiGrid Interfaces:

Processing Capabilities and Plugin Counts

Waves’ philosophy is to deliver the highest-quality and most technologically advanced plugins in the audio industry. This sometimes comes at a cost in terms of the heavy processing power required.

Each plugin has its own set of capabilities and requirements. Some plugins use relatively simple algorithms while others use more complex ones. The latter require more time cycles and processing units and are therefore more demanding on your CPU. This directly affects the number of plugins that can be used on any CPU in any application.

Waves plugins can be used on numerous platforms and hosts. Waves’ SoundGrid technology lets you offload your plugins to an external server for real-time processing at near-zero latency. This allows you to open more plugins simultaneously, in the studio, live, and in broadcast environments.

The table below indicates the number of plugins that can be inserted into StudioRacks and loaded to the SoundGrid servers inside our DiGiGrid IOS and DLS interfaces before the system reaches DSP overload (85%) or fails to play audio fluently (clicks, dropouts, corruption).

DiGiGrid IOS(SoundGrid Server Firmware – 9.7.50.4)

DiGiGrid DLS(SoundGrid Server Firmware – 9.7.50.4)

Plugin

44.1kHz

96kHz

44.1kHz

96kHz

RChannel (Mono)

260

58

330

140

RChannel (Stereo)

132

54

256

118

Q10 (Mono)

512

276

512

512

Q10 (Stereo)

256

200

256

256

SSL Channel (Mono)

196

64

512

202

SSL Channel (Stereo)

164

50

256

256

API 550A (Mono)

266

116

512

204

API 550A (Stereo)

256

114

256

256

IR-Live (Mono)

10

8

32

12

IR-Live (Stereo)

6

4

18

8

CLA Guitars (Stereo)

16

8

23

11

C6 (Mono)

60

34

112

50

C6 (Stereo)

56

23

102

40

J37 Tape (Mono)

30

30

46

44

J37 Tape (Stereo)

15

15

27

24

CLA-76 (Mono)

192

90

360

136

CLA-76 (Stereo)

158

44

256

106

Reel ADT (Mono)

15

15

30

28

Reel ADT (Stereo)

15

15

28

25

* The maximum number of plugins that can be tested given system limitations is 512 mono and 256 stereo (64 and 32 StudioRacks, respectively).

SoundGrid Studio is a scalable system that can expand dynamically by adding multiple
I/O computers and servers.

The basic Native setup is a SoundGrid-compatible I/O connected to your computer
via a CAT 6 Ethernet cable. The SoundGrid Studio application allows you to configure
your driver settings, acting as a link between the I/O and your DAW.

On DAWs that do not use SoundGrid as the ASIO/Core Audio driver, you can connect
your existing HW and SoundGrid-compatible I/O with a DigiLink cable. Depending on
which connection you have, the DiGiGrid I/O will act as an additional interface
within your DAW.

Which I/Os are SoundGrid-compatible?

A variety of SoundGrid-compatible I/O boxes and I/O-bridging solutions are available.

The first I/O boxes released with SoundGrid Studio are the DLI, DLS, IOS, IOX, IOC, MGB and MGO, all by DiGiGrid.

All audio in SoundGrid Studio is streamed over Ethernet, so all you need to do is
connect all devices to the same Ethernet switch. The SoundGrid Studio Application's
Setup and Patch tabs let you select and patch multiple I/O devices. I/O devices
include a variety of hardware I/O boxes and SoundGrid drivers (on your main host
computer or on other computers connected to the network), plus the eMotion mixer

SoundGrid I/O boxes are connected using CAT6 lines and standard switches and can
be placed up to 300 feet away.

You can use a number of SoundGrid Studio instances simultaneously on different computers.
Use the SoundGrid Studio Application's Setup tab to assign SoundGrid I/O boxes to
a particular SoundGrid Studio instance. Networking with a variety of SoundGrid I/O
boxes and SoundGrid-bridging I/Os gives you endless possibilities for networking
the recording studio.

What can I do with this audio network?

The possibilities are almost unlimited, and each studio will find different uses
for the network. For example:

All you need to do is connect a server to the setups described above. Within your
host you will have access to the StudioRack plugin that routes the audio to the
server and back in real time.

On native DAWs, the connection between StudioRack and the server is automatic. On
non-native systems, this routing is accomplished via I/O inserts, similar to "outboard"
processing.

How do I get a server?

Waves offers a number of solutions, including I/Os with built-in servers as well
as standalone servers with different capabilities.

Am I limited in the number of StudioRacks I can have in my session?

You can use StudioRack to process the signal either locally on your host computer
or externally on a server. Like any other native plugin, StudioRack instances run
locally on your computer’s internal processor are limited by the system’s resources.

Any StudioRack may be switched at any time between SoundGrid Studio mode and Local
mode (within the 64-channel limitation).

StudioRacks are limited to 64 mono or 32 stereo channels and any combination in-between.
This is made possible by 64 mono paths from StudioRack to SoundGrid servers. We
refer to them as "voices".

Native systems using a SoundGrid server can route 64 mono StudioRacks to the server.
Non-native systems can route up to 64 mono StudioRacks to the server, depending
on your physical connections.

If I run SoundGrid with Pro Tools using a Core Audio I/O that is not HD Native,
do I still get that 64 I/O stream from StudioRack?

Yes. And just to be clear, the 64 channels used for StudioRack in SoundGrid Studio
mode are unrelated to the Core Audio or ASIO driver channels. This communication
comes in addition to the latter channels and is transparent to both the DAW and
the Core Audio/ASIO driver.

How does the number of StudioRack instances depend on my connections?

This is only relevant for systems not using the Waves SoundGrid driver. A DLI/DLS
can be connected to existing peripherals in a number of different ways. This determines
how many ins and outs are available. You can achieve the following StudioRack counts
with the following connections:

16 mono: through an interface expansion port.

32 mono: directly to a dedicated DigiLink connector.

48 mono: through an expansion port and a dedicated DigiLink port.

64 mono: through two dedicated DigiLink connections.

What functionality do I have when using StudioRack?

StudioRack has all the abilities of a standard plugin – and more. StudioRack can
host up to eight plugins which are fully automatable through your DAW. The parameters
of hosted plugins can be mapped to MIDI controllers, and Pro Tools users can assign
their hosted plugin controls to Avid control surfaces. Furthermore, all factory
presets and all your personal presets can be loaded into the plugins, and these
plugin and setting chains can now be saved.

What about low-latency monitoring?

When you use a SoundGrid driver and server on a native system, you can create a
low-latency monitoring path while recording with plugins. This happens in parallel
with the routing to your DAW.

When you record on your DAW, the StudioRack input (the input selected for the track
StudioRack is inserted on) is routed to a live channel of your choice. So basically
the signal is fed to two destinations – your DAW (unprocessed signal), and StudioRack.

While the signal is being recorded, you can listen to the StudioRack output in low
latency. For convenience, the output of ALL StudioRack instances is concentrated
in a dedicated StudioRack layer in the eMotion Mixer. The eMotion Mixer will allow
you to create up to nine different mixes for the Control Room and Headphone mixes.

How will this affect my workflow?

StudioRack and the SoundGrid Studio Application include a number of tools and functions
that allow seamless integration into your workflow. Multiple StudioRack instances
can be grouped and, for monitoring purposes, act as one. There is also an Auto mode
that automatically switches between Normal and Monitor mode according to the DAW's
record/playback function (Normal mode for recording, Monitor mode for playing back).

What do I do if I receive a session that was created with StudioRack using a SoundGrid
server?

If you save a session created with SoundGrid Studio and a SoundGrid server and later
open it with no SoundGrid server connected, the same StudioRacks will open natively
and run on your local CPU.

Remember, StudioRack instances can be manually switched between the local CPU and
the SoundGrid server at any time. After resaving a session using your local CPU,
you can send the StudioRack instances back to the SoundGrid system using the SoundGrid
server.

If you save a session using StudioRack as an I/O insert and then open it on a SoundGrid
or Native system, you will have to remove the I/O insert manually. If you save a
session using a SoundGrid driver and then open it using StudioRack as an I/O insert,
you will have to add the I/O insert manually.

Can I only use Waves plugins with eMotion ST and StudioRack?

Plugin Alliance is our first supported third-party plugin manufacturer (as presented
at NAMM 2014). Other plugin manufacturers are looking at the option of supporting
SoundGrid through the Waves Public API (WPAPI).

Waves SoundGrid products (which include support for SoundGrid, Native, and TDM platforms)
are on average 1.5 times more expensive than Native, but it is absolutely possible
to purchase Native products on sale and upgrade to SoundGrid. This is a two-step
process, but it can save you a lot.

SoundGrid-specific specials will be announced as soon as IOS and DLS are released.
To help out, we’re giving away a $500 voucher on Waves plugins when you purchase
IOS.

Does SoundGrid Studio support 192 kHz?

SoundGrid Studio currently supports 96 kHz. Support for 192 kHz is in the works
and will be made available after the initial SoundGrid Studio release.

Where do the mic/line outputs show up in Pro Tools? On a Pro Tools insert path in
a DiGiGrid window? Or in the Pro Tools I/O input?

On a native system, the SoundGrid Driver will appear in the I/O setup, with 32-128
channels. These channels can be connected to any of the SoundGrid devices (for example
IOX) routed to the SoundGrid driver via the SoundGrid Studio Patch interface. So,
IOX inputs 1-12 will show as SoundGrid Driver 1-12 in the Pro Tools Patch/IO menu.

On an HD/HDX system, DLI/ DLS will appear as 4-192 digital units (16 I/Os each),
depending on your DigiLink connections. Other devices (such as IOX or IOC) can be
routed to a DLI or DLS via the SoundGrid Studio Patch interface. So, IOX inputs
1-12 will show as 192D 1-12 in the Pro Tools Patch/IO menu.

Yes, by selecting the DLS (appearing as 192D) as the clock source in Pro Tools.

Can I insert Waves plugins on mic/line inputs before Pro Tools input (pre-recording)?

Yes, this can be done using the eMotion ST Mixer paired with the SoundGrid Studio
Application.

The input will be routed from the I/O to an eMotion input channel for (pre-)processing.
The output will be routed to Pro Tools via the SoundGrid driver on a native system,
or via a DLI/DLS on an HD/HDX system.

What is the difference between using the DLI/DLS in SGP mode and in I/O mode? Am
I getting 64 I/Os in Pro Tools?

I/O mode provides up to 64 channels between the HD/HDX system and the SoundGrid
network. This mode can be used to bridge SoundGrid I/O devices and Pro Tools HD/HDX,
or to process using the internal DLS server and StudioRack. The channel count depends
on your DigiLink connections. 64 channels require two connectors from a DLS directly
to two HD cards or one HDX card.

SGP mode uses any DigiLink-compatible device as a converter, and connects to any
native DAW using the SoundGrid ASIO/Core Driver as the playback engine. In this
mode, using StudioRack gives you 64 processing and monitoring channels in addition
to the I/Os in the system.

Can I share resources with my second room, including mic/lines and the ability to
use plugins?

Yes. I/Os can be routed to multiple systems/rooms. The allocation of channels is
controlled from one master system. At this point StudioRack’s DSP processing can
only be done on one system (which need not be the master system).

What are the different latencies of the SoundGrid Studio System?

Latency is something that may change between systems. The latency to server and back (DSP processing on all systems) is 0.8 ms. If plugins introduce latency, this also needs to be taken into account. Plugin latencies can be found here: www.waves.com/support/tech-specs/plugin-latency.

For Native users of DiGiGrid IOS in low-latency monitoring mode, internal processing latency is 0.8 ms + the latency introduced by A/D and D/A convertors. No matter which Native buffer parameters are set on your DAW, this is the round trip when you use the StudioRack and eMotion ST low-latency path:

A/D latency – less than 1 ms

SoundGrid processing (StudioRack + eMotion ST mixer) – 0.8ms

Plugin latency – depends which plugins and how many of them are instantiated

D/A latency – less than 1 ms

The default processing latency is the same for all DiGiGrid I/Os. It may differ, however, between A/D and D/A convertors.

If you’re not using SoundGrid processing at all, the total latency depends on your PT Native buffer + SoundGrid system A/D, D/A and network buffer:

A/D latency – less than 1 ms

SoundGrid ASIO/Core Audio driver latency – 4 ms

D/A latency – less than 1 ms

How would a DLS fit into my system, consisting of a HD native card, a Lynx Aurora 16 with LT-HD, and a 'blue' 192? Could I connect the 192 to the DLS and still use the DLS server capabilities?

You can connect Port 1 of the HD Native card to the Lynx, and the expansion port to the 192. The second HD Native port can connect to the DLS, giving you the ability to use up to 32 mono StudioRacks for DSP processing, or 32 I/O channels in the SoundGrid network. Plus, you have the ability to divide them – 16 StudioRacks and 16 I/Os. If you connect the DLS only through the expansion port of a single 192, you will get only 16 I/Os to SoundGrid (for either processing or I/O).

StudioRack has a MIDI Learn function that allows it to control all Waves plugins through any MIDI controller. Pro Tools users can benefit from the customizable support of 32 user-Assignable controls that are automatically mapped to Avid control surfaces. D Command users can benefit from the Automatic Center section mapping for EQ and dynamic plugins in addition to the 32 user-assignable controls.

Do I need to have some kind of hardware for StudioRack, or will it work for grouping plugins and settings as a channel strip, as the Slate Digital VMR?

The StudioRack Plugin Chainer can use either native processing or the processing power of a SoundGrid DSP server. Using SoundGrid processing requires a SoundGrid I/O, a SoundGrid server, and the appropriate SoundGrid licenses.

Waves SoundGrid and DiGiGrid interfaces are a new product line. How do we know if it will still be around in a few years’ time?

SoundGrid hardware has been in the market for over four years, debuting in the live market with the Yamaha Y-16, followed by the Allen & Heath M-Waves and DiGiCo Consoles, and are in use all over the world by many high level engineers. The DiGiGrid hardware units are manufactured in collaboration with DiGiCo and are equipped with high-quality convertors and components. DiGiCo is a well-established brand, and the DiGiGrid interfaces are fully supported by DiGiCo and Waves, now and in the future.

All TDM license owners covered by the Waves Update Plan have been provided with SoundGrid licenses free of charge. Any DiGiGrid IOS purchase includes a $500 voucher for additional Waves plugins.

What makes the SoundGrid DSP server different from other servers?

The SoundGrid DSP server is a low-latency Linux server that has been carefully created by Waves to provide reliability and stability. The server only works with specific motherboards and chipsets and is compiled only for them. The servers were tested with hundreds of plugins on about 20 different DAW systems across five different operating systems and four different sample rates. There is no need to connect a computer screen and keyboard to the SoundGrid server. It connects through the SoundGrid Studio Application, which runs on your host computer.

What are the advantages of StudioRack over simply saving a channel strip in your DAW?

StudioRack has many advantages, the main ones being:

StudioRack can host up to eight plugins which are fully automatable through your DAW. All factory presets and all your personal presets can be loaded into the plugins, and these plugin and setting chains can now be saved.

StudioRack plugin chain presets can be used on almost any DAW. For example, save your presets on Logic and load them later on Cubase. Tweak them on Cubase, save them again, later load them on Pro Tools HD, and so on.

StudioRack has quick keys for controlling different plugin parameters within your chains whether the plugin's window is visible or not.

The parameters of hosted plugins can be mapped to MIDI controllers, and Pro Tools users can assign their hosted plugin controls to Avid control surfaces.

When used along with a DiGiGrid DLS, StudioRack lets you run plugins in low latency with HD and HDX systems while offloading the processing to a SoundGrid DSP server.

When using StudioRack, you run your low-latency plugins within your DAW and can later use them for mixing. The eMotion ST mixer runs in the background and does not need to be opened. Watch this video to learn more about the capabilities and different uses of the eMotion ST mixer.

What does it mean when you say that "some third-party plugins" will work?

The SoundGrid infrastructure is open to third-party hardware and software developers, and Waves is working closely with additional plugin and hardware companies in order to expand the family of SoundGrid-compatible tools.

Plugin Alliance is our first supported third-party plugin manufacturer (as presented at NAMM 2014). Other plugin manufacturers are already in the process of integrating the SoundGrid protocol through the Waves Public API (WPAPI).

What are the benefits of using Ethernet to stream audio signals?

SoundGrid Ethernet provides uncompressed, multi-channel, low-latency digital audio over Ethernet networks, which saves the need to install multiple line cables in the walls and floors of your studio. A single Ethernet cable can connect between I/O boxes in different rooms, saving you a lot of money on the purchasing and maintenance of analog cables. Ethernet cables also endure longer distances without suffering any signal degradation compared to USB, FireWire and DigiLink cables.

When I record overdubs, does the eMotion ST mixer merge the live input with the DAW output? If I monitor a virtual guitar amp while recording, will the playback be routed to that same virtual amp?

Yes. If you want, you can add more plugins on the eMotion ST mixer and send the same signal to your DAW at the same time. This can be done with StudioRack SoundGrid using the Input mode feature, or within the eMotion ST mixer itself. Watch this video to learn more about the capabilities and different uses of the eMotion ST mixer.

What if I don’t want to work with the eMotion ST mixer?

There is no need to recall the eMotion ST mixer if you don’t want to use it, especially when working with HDX systems. For processing only, you do not have to use eMotion ST (HD or Native). For LL monitoring, you will have to use the eMotion ST mixer, though you will not have to use the eMotion ST window—everything can be done from StudioRack. If you want an overview of all monitored tracks, however, it would be best to use the eMotion ST GUI.

I can see the potential of the DiGiGrid interfaces and SoundGrid Studio System for multi-room studios that want to invest in a networkable audio infrastructure, as long as you don't already own a Pro Tools HD/HDX system. But if you already own such a system, wouldn’t it be a waste of money to get a DiGiGrid interface as well, since all you need is the Pro Tools hardware and the Waves software?

On the contrary, using the DiGiGrid DLS/DLI and SoundGrid Studio System, you can actually connect HD Native systems to the same network. Watch this video to learn more: Using StudioRack with Pro Tools HDX.

I'm a bit confused as to the 'Live Sound' and 'Studio System' distinction. Do they involve the same components? Can I invest in something relatively minimal now – just for additional DSP – and incorporate a mixing console down the track?

All SoundGrid systems, live and studio alike, use the same SoundGrid ASIO/Core Audio driver and are compliant with StudioRack, MultiRack, the eMotion ST mixer and the SoundGrid Studio Application. The distinction between live and studio is made in order to differentiate between hosts for live use, such as MultiRack, and hosts for studio work, such as StudioRack and the eMotion ST mixer. If you don’t own a mixing console yet, you can start with a studio-oriented device such as a DiGiGrid DLS or IOS. To get more I/Os later on, you will be able to connect this device to any SoundGrid network, whether in the studio or live.

Waves plugins are also available for any Native system. If you start using StudioRack in a SoundGrid environment, you can work on your session later in a Native environment, if necessary.

If my session was created with a SoundGrid system, can I then continue to work on it with a non-SoundGrid system?

Yes. Whether your session was created with or without SoundGrid processing, instances of StudioRack will load automatically, letting you use the same plugins and settings saved in your session. When you import a session created on a SoundGrid system to a non-SoundGrid system, StudioRack will switch seamlessly and automatically from SoundGrid processing to local CPU processing without losing your workflow and will let you use the same plugin chain presets. Sessions containing StudioRack components designed especially for Pro Tools HD/HDX and HD Native will load automatically and comply with whichever Pro Tools system is in use, bridging it with the SoundGrid DSP server (if present).

If I add Waves' solution to my HDX system, will I be able to control (and automate) all the Waves plugins in Pro Tools, or will I need to do that from the eMotion ST mixer and therefore tweak the plugin parameters in two different places – the AAX ones directly in Pro Tools, and the SoundGrid ones in another location?

All SoundGrid-compatible plugins are loaded within StudioRack, and all their parameter automation is done within Pro Tools, as with any other plugin.

When I use a DiGiGrid DLS or DLI with an HD/HDX or HD Native system, does the DLS/DLI appear in the Pro Tools I/O setup window as I/Os and inserts?

Yes – it appears as up to four 192 Digitals, depending on configuration.

When I use a DiGiGrid DLS or DLI with an HD/HDX or HD Native system, does StudioRack behave like a hardware insert chain?

Yes, it does. Connecting to the StudioRack SoundGrid processing requires an I/O insert.

I’m getting audio artifacts when I connect more than 100 channels to the SoundGrid ASIO/Core Audio driver. What can I do?

In some cases, the computer running the SoundGrid Driver requires more resources for the connection between the SoundGrid driver and the network adaptor connected to the SoundGrid network.

Go to the SoundGrid Studio Application > Setup tab > Settings tab, and select a larger number in the Driver Network buffer.

I use a high-channel-count SoundGrid I/O for recording. After upgrading the driver from V9.5 to V9.7, I seem to be getting audio artifacts. What can I do?

In the updated SoundGrid driver used with the 9.7 SoundGrid Studio install, the setting for the Network card buffer for SoundGrid (Driver Network buffer) was lowered from 250 to 100. With some systems, this setting must be increased in order to leave enough resources for the connection between the SoundGrid driver and the Network adaptor connected to the SoundGrid network.

Go to the SoundGrid Studio Application > Setup tab > Settings tab, and select a larger number in the Driver Network buffer.